Upton, MA …Yesterday Shawn Craig, Republican candidate for State Representative and Iraq war veteran, called for an end to legislative per diems that pay for legislators commuting expenses. He challenged his opponents Marty Green and David Muradian to pledge not to take per diems and to work to end this legislative perk. Craig has sent both candidates a pledge to sign if they agree.
“Who gets paid to commute to work? It is time to end this legislative perk,” said Craig. “This legislature passed the forever increasing gas tax. While they are willing to take more money out of our household budgets, they are not willing to pay the same taxes we pay. That’s wrong.”
Legislators can claim a per diem for every day they go to the State House. The amounts vary from district depending on the distance representatives have to drive to the State House. It ranges from $10 per day to $90. Last year Senator Stan Rosenberg claimed the most in per diems. He accepted $12,840.
“Today I am calling on my opponents to join me in forgoing all per diems and supporting the abolishing of this special perk,” said Craig.
The Abolish Per Diem Pledge simply requests that if elected that person will refuse to take per diems and work to end the legislative perk.
“It is time to put service back into public service. And it starts with ending legislative perks,” said Craig.
Craig is the only candidate who is collecting signatures on behalf of the effort to repeal the gas tax being linked to inflation.
“It was a slap in the face to voters when the House passed the gas tax being linked to inflation. If legislators think increasing the gas tax is such a good idea then maybe they should pay the tax like the rest of us,” said Craig.
Craig also noted that legislators get a special tax break if they live a far distance from the State House.
Craig is a member of the Upton Finance Committee and is the liaison to the Mendon Upton Regional School District. He is also the Vice-Chairman of the Mendon-Upton Multi-Board Task Force. In addition, he is an active member of the VFW and Upton Men’s Club.
Professionally, Craig has 18 years of private sector experience with the majority spent within the financial services industry. He worked for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) for 8.5 years where he investigated broker-dealers for compliance with federal securities laws and FINRA rules and regulations. This included both routine as well as special investigations involving the review and discovery of money laundering, fraud, embezzlement, insider trading and unsuitable investments. One investigation of which he was the team lead resulted in the discovery of fraud and misrepresentation at a firm located in Braintree, MA. Craig drafted a referral whereby the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission became engaged along with the FBI. The firm’s owner was detained October 2, 2012 and sentenced in April 2013 to 17 years in federal prison plus 3 years supervised probation and $9 million in restitution. Craig left FINRA in 2013 to start a consulting business focused on helping small broker-dealers.
Craig earned his B.A. from Roanoke College, where he double majored in International Relations and Business, and an M.S. in Finance from Suffolk University in Boston.
UPTON DAILY 
What’s the problem again? Roughly 45 states pay state representatives per diem or some other form of compensation for their travel/lodging expenses.
Oh right, we’d be much better off if only the rich could afford to “serve” the public.